Yamato Japanese Restaurant, Toronto, oN

I saw The Runaways this afternoon with Angie, Rob, Amanda and Brian.

The film follows two friends, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, as they rise from rebellious Southern California kids to rock stars of the now legendary group that paved the way for future generations of girl bands. Joan and Cherie fall under the Svengali-like influence of rock impresario Kim Fowley, who turns the group into an outrageous success and a family of misfits. With its tough-chick image and raw talent, the band quickly earns a name for itself -- and so do its two leads: Joan is the band's pure rock' n' roll heart, while Cherie, with her Bowie-Bardot looks, is the sex kitten.

Though I didn't know a lot about Joan Jett and had never heard about The Runaways (I thought she only had the one hit!), Angie is a big fan. I learn a lot from the movie.

After the movie, we went to Yamato Japanese Restaurant in Yorkville for supper.

As I said, Angie is a Joan Jett fan ... she even has a teeshirt!

Here is me, Brian and Amanda (they are married) ...

And Rob and Angie (they live together) ...

Angie ordered Sushi Pizza (marinated crispy rice crust topped with house spicy mayo, fish roe, green onion, spanish onion and salmon) for an appetizer. You know I love love love pizza but I passed on trying hers, though it was pretty.

I ordered Tori (tender boneless chicken dark meat glazed with teriyaki sauce and steamed rice) ... it was delicious.

They cook everyone's meal right in front of you ...

And here we are ... Rob, Angie, me, Brian and Amanda ...

Book ~ "Facing Ali: 15 Fighters/15 Stories" (2004) ~ Stephen Brunt

From Amazon ~ Muhammad Ali has been written about ad nauseum but here we have a fresh approach: examine Ali the boxer through the eyes of his opponents. From the champs (Foreman), to the contenders (George Chuvalo), to the hopelessly overmatched (Jean-Pierre Coopman), the lives of Ali's opponents were profoundly shaped by facing (and, usually, getting pummeled by) an international icon. While Ali transcended boxing, his opponents didn't, and most of these fighters spent their lives getting beat up in the ring and out of it. That makes for fascinating reading, but for those who care more about Ali than, say, Earnie Shavers, the book is also chock-full of anecdotes and opinions about Ali as seen by his opponents. From each fighter's story, a different Ali emerges. To Frazier, Ali is a cruel bully. To Chuck Wepner, Ali is Apollo Creed to Wepner's Rocky Balboa. To Joe Bugner, Ali is just a brilliant businessman who knew how to put butts in seats. Between the perspectives on Ali and the witty, elegant retelling of 15 fighters' lives, this is a must for boxing fans.

Gord read this book last month and thought I would enjoy it ... and I did.

I had only heard of about five of the fifteen boxers but it was still interesting to read their stories ... where they came from and where they are now. Some knew going in they would get beat and did it for the paycheque.

Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON

It was gorgeous this evening ... sunny and 18C!

I felt like getting some exercise but I didn't want to be cooped up in the gym.

So Gord and I went for a brisk 5km walk.

Part of the walk took us through Trinity Bellwoods Park.

Two guys, Mike and Mike, had set up a couple tightropes between trees and were inviting people to try it (we passed ... it was more fun to watch).

The girl took quite a few shots at it until she could take a few steps on her own.

Then the Mikes showed us how it was done ...

There were lots of people sitting on the hill in the sun watching the dogs play below in the unleashed area.

Beer Makes History Better Walking Tour, Toronto, ON

Despite the wind and rain, Gord and I went on the Beer Makes History Better walking tour this afternoon. We like beer ... we like history!

It was led by Jason of Tour Guys.

We met on the corner of Yonge/Front. Here's Jason getting us started ...

The first stop was outside C'est What? and we heard about the history of the neighbourhood around the Flatiron Building.

Then we went inside for a beer and more history ...

We went to St. James' Cathedral ...
We cut through Sculpture Garden where Dean Drever's Bear Hunt is the current exhibit ...

The next stop was St. Lawrence Market ... alas, we got there just after the shops closed.

We headed to Betty's for a beer (formerly called the Betty Ford Clinic until they were legally asked to change their name) ...

We looking at the mural on the south wall of the Toronto Sun building (I didn't know it was there) on our way to our last stop, Mill Street Brewery, for some free samples ...

Here's Jason giving us the last toast as the tour ended (it was from 3pm to 7pm) ...

Here's Gord, Roger (Gord's friend/co-worker), me and Jason ...

It was a fun and interesting tour! If you like beer and want to know more about the history of Toronto, you should definitely check out the Tour Guys.

Book ~ "Transformation Soup" (2000) SARK

From Amazon.com ~ Since the early 1990s, SARK's playful, sympathetic style has made her an immensely popular author of self-help and creativity books. Like her past works, this vividly illustrated guide speaks to the reader's "inner child," aiming to free the imperfect, fearful, sad, funny and creative aspects that adults usually hide. This time SARK addresses the process of healing, inquiring, "What Hurts?" and gently leading readers to places (gardens, Zen retreat centers, bed) and activities (meditation, massage, creative expression) that promote recovery. With dark tales of her own experience of incest, and goofy ones including one about Rosie O'Donnell's chin hair, SARK's book reflects the "friendly disorder" of being human, covering a wide range of topics, from the trauma of broken relationships to body image and aging. Along with her heartfelt ruminations, SARK offers book referrals, transformation stories and a reference list of healers, including massage therapists, hairstylists, musicians and authors. In one fanciful section, she imagines the lessons a healing school might teach, including intuition, "non-competitive play," "accepting success" and "identifying patterns of self-defeat." All the while, she pushes readers toward their own creative expression through exercises such as "turning [inner] critics into allies" and marrying oneself. SARK's unpretentious effort illustrates her fundamental theme that "we are all swirling in the soup together" and that "whatever healing work we each do contributes to the healing of all of us."

A quick read ... I first read it in the summer of 2001.

It's a good reminder to not dwell on things, let them go and move on and experience life.

If people would tell the truth about what they are truly willing to do, there would be room for all of us to help each other in many more ways.

SARK

Book ~ "Pretty in Plaid" (2009) Jen Lancaster

From Goodreads ~ In Pretty in Plaid, Jen Lancaster reveals how she developed the hubris that perpetually gets her into trouble. 

Using fashion icons of her youth to tell her hilarious and insightful stories, readers will meet the girl she used to be. Think Jen Lancaster was always "like David Sedaris with pearls and a super-cute handbag?" (Jennifer Coburn) Think again. She was a badge-hungry Junior Girl Scout with a knack for extortion, an aspiring sorority girl who didn't know her Coach from her Louis Vuitton, and a budding executive who found herself bewildered by her first encounter with a fax machine. 

In this humorous and touching memoir, Jen Lancaster looks back on her life-and wardrobe-before bitter was the new black and shows us a young woman not so very different than the rest of us. The author who showed us what it was like to wait in line at the unemployment office with a Prada bag, how living in the city can actually suck, and that losing weight can be fun with a trainer named Barbie and enough Ambien is ready to take you on a hilarious and heartwarming trip down memory lane in her shoes (and very pretty ones at that).

After all my growling a couple weeks ago about not particularly liking Lancaster in Bitter is the New Black, I liked her in this book. There was no arrogance or shallowness ... just a comic and sarcastic tone as she talks about past experiences.

I remember very well the scary styles of the 1980s (she spends a lot of the book in this era).

I'd recommend this book ... I enjoyed it much more than Bitter is the New Black and will continue to read future books of hers.

Book ~ "Succulent Wild Woman" (1997) SARK

From Amazon ~ SARK, an author, artist, and incest survivor with many years of therapy and self-healing behind her, wishes to shine her "beacon of hope to the world" as she encourages and inspires women of all ages to become "succulent." She defines this as transcending past pains and feeling the freedom of full self-expression. Very candidly she shares the tragic, the glorious, the intimate, and the adventurous in her life, dispensing sage advice and a lengthy menu of readily doable suggestions for arousing creativity and nurturing self-discovery.

From www.planetSARK.com ~ This book is my glowing invitation to you -- to live a rich, succulent life! I explore love, sexuality, romance, money, fat, fear and creativity. It's a little bit like reading my diary -- with permission. Succulence is powerFull! and so are we as women.

It is indeed like reading SARK's diary ... it's her honest thoughts and ramblings in her handwriting (printing?) along with doodles.

I first read this book in the summer of 2001 and enjoyed it. It's a fun reminder that we should figure out who we are and love ourselves, surround ourselves with friends and be creative.

I believe that these circles of women around us weave invisible nets of love that carry us when we're weak and sing with us when we're strong.

SARK

Waterfront Trail, Toronto, ON

It was gorgeous this afternoon ... sunny and 12C (54F). Too nice to be stuck inside!

So I went for a two hour walk.

I walked westbound along Queen Street W and then headed south towards the water when I got to Roncesvalles.

I kept heading west along the Waterfront Trail until I got to Sunnyside Pavillion.

I sat on a bench by the Pavillion for a while ... there were lots of people out and about. I love being by the water!

Here's my view of the water, looking straight ahead ...

Then I headed eastward towards home ...

It was a great day to be outside.

Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, ON

KC and I took a walk this morning to Trinity Bellwoods Park.

We walked along Queen Street W ...

... to get to the park.

Even though it's really mucky, KC had fun running around.